Former Rep. Mary Peltola has decided to postpone several upcoming campaign events after she and her family suffered “minor” injuries in a car accident, her campaign announced Sunday.
“Mary and her family suffered minor injuries but are in good spirits. Unfortunately, per the advice of medical professionals, Mary’s upcoming events in Fairbanks and Bethel will be postponed until later in the week as she takes time to recover,” Cheryl Bruce, Peltola’s campaign manager, said in a statement.
“Mary is disappointed that the accident will delay the start of her Alaska Always Tour, and she looks forward to returning to the campaign trail to speak directly with Alaskans about her plan to take on the rigged system and lower costs for working families,” Bruce added.
Peltola was on her way to the Alaska Federation of Natives’ annual banquet Saturday when a vehicle carrying the candidate and her family was struck by another driver, according to the campaign.
The Anchorage Police Department confirmed Sunday that a three-vehicle collision occurred Saturday evening and those involved suffered “non-life-threatening injuries.”
Police added that the incident remains under investigation.
Peltola, a Democrat, is in a competitive Senate race against Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan. She was elected to the House of Representatives in 2022, but narrowly lost re-election in 2024, the same year President Donald Trump won the state by 13 percentage points.
Sullivan’s reelection race, in which he is seeking a third term, is tighter than expected, with Alaska voters linking Trump to high gas and food prices resulting from the ongoing war with Iran.
Trump and Vice President JD Vance separately rallied voters in Alaska earlier this month.
Republicans have accused Democrats of recruiting another candidate named Dan Sullivan to run for Senate, saying voters could be confused by the presence of two Dan Sullivans on the ballot if they plan to vote for the incumbent senator.
Democrats didn’t take credit for bringing runner-up Dan Sullivan into the race. He will appear on the ballot as Dan J. Sullivan, while the incumbent senator will be identified by name, political party and a clear statement that he is the incumbent senator.
Last week, the Justice Department filed a lawsuit against Alaska election officials, seeking to block certification of the election if Sen. Dan Sullivan lost. They cited Dan J. Sullivan’s presence on the ballot as an element of “voter confusion.”
On Saturday, Democrats filed a motion urging a federal judge to dismiss the case.
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